Read Online The Cherry Blossoms by Denise Irwin - Free Book Online

was pleased until Charlene approached her, “Daniella, one of the models is intoxicated.”
    “ What? ”
    Charlene pointed to the intoxicated model.
    “How intoxicated is she?”
    “Enough so that I would not put her on the runway.  She is modeling the business suit which is your first design to show.”
    Grant was standing next to Daniella.  “Grant, go assess the situation.  If she’s been drinking, ask her to leave.  Do not offer her the agreed pay.  We’ll put in the second choice.”
    Daniella was not about to let her disappointment with the model ruin her afternoon.  This was one of the reasons she retained the services of two models per outfit.  She watched Grant as he spoke to the model.
     
    Grant looked at the model.  “Madame avez-vous eu une boisson alcoolisée aujourd'hui ?”
    She looked at the floor, “Oui Monsieur, que j'ai.  J'étais nerveux.  J'ai bien régler mon sert un verre de vin.”
    Grant lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes, “ Combien de verres de vin que vous buviez ?”
    Tears fell from her brown eyes, “J'ai eu trois verres de vin.”
    “Je dois demander que vous laissez.”
    Grant walked her to the door, and then returned to speak with Daniella.
    “I watched you walk her out the door, so I assume she’d been drinking?”
    “Yes, she confessed that she was so nervous that she drank three glasses of wine.”
    “What a shame, she was one of our best walkers.  Oh well, it is, what it is.  I’m going to go out front.  The first three designers are ready.  Keep an eye out that we’re ready on time.”
    Grant winked at her, “We’ll be ready on time.”
    “Grant, did you just wink at me?”
    “J'ai fait Mademoiselle, it was a good luck wink.”
    When she walked away, she shook her head.  Daniella purposefully walked along the runway on the opposite side of her reserved seats.  She wanted to see if Michal was sitting there.  Daniella casually snuck a peak across the runway.  What she saw made her blood boil.  Samanta Laroque was sitting in her seat beside Michal.  She walked past where they were sitting and joined the photographers at the end of the runway.
    The House of Elisabeth walked down the runway first.  Daniella admired the designs and applauded them along with the audience.
    The House of Geneviève walked second.  There was a small pit growing in Daniella’s stomach as she watched the exquisite designs walk the runway. She was beginning to doubt her own designs.  Once again, the audience showed their appreciation of the work by applauding.
    The third was The House of Marguerite, whose designs were remarkable.  The audience jumped from their chairs to applaud.  Daniella looked to where Michal was sitting to find that he too stood to applause the designs.  The pit in her stomach grew to the size of a grapefruit.
    The announcer called for a short recess before resuming with the last three designers.  Daniella used that recess to check on her team.
    She was not at all surprised to see that Grant and Charlene had everything under control.  The makeup artists and the hairdressers were working their miracles transforming her models into beautiful women.  When Grant saw her, he walked to Daniella, “Daniella, how is it going out there?”
    “Grant , I’ve got to say, we’re up against some stiff competition.”
    “Do not worry yourself about the first three showings.  They are the top design houses in all of France.  They have retained well-known models.  They have been in business for many years, so they have earned the right to show first.”
    “Is that why we’re going last?”
    “I would say yes to you.”
    Daniella felt a little better learning that the design houses earned the right to go first.  She would work harder to move further up the line.
    She smiled at Grant, “Then it will be our goal to be fifth next year.”
    He laughed, “No, we will make our goal to be fourth next year.”
    “It’s fourth then.”
    Grant